Lance Grimsley
Faith is absolutely essential for one to be saved. Paul says it this way: “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus” (Gal 3:26). If we are children by faith then certainly we will be heirs of the blessings including salvation.
So, what is faith? The world has many definitions. None of them matter. The Bible defines faith in Hebrews. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1). According to this passage, two things make up faith—hope and evidence. Most of the world thinks faith is a “blind leap into the dark.” But that is not Bible faith. Bible faith is the things hoped for built and supported by evidence. What evidence? Scriptures provides the evidence we need, Paul said it like this in Romans: “ So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17). Therefore if a person is going to have a saving faith, it must be a faith built on scripture. So when a person hears the Gospel message, or studies the scriptures, he increases his faith. Faith is taking God at His word and that makes one a child of God.
No doubt, faith saves! But let’s no stop here. Let’s ask another question. Does faith alone save? Since we are people of faith and faith is built on God’s word, let’s see what it has to say regarding this. James says, Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only” (Jas. 2:24). Now I am just a country boy from middle Georgia, but I can understand this passage. James says, “not by faith only.” Hence, faith alone doesn’t save. Faith must be coupled with other things.
Watch this. Paul says, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8). Paul teaches that faith alone is insufficient. Faith without grace does not save. This harmonizes perfectly with what James teaches. Without the grace of God, faith couldn’t save. God’s grace saves…doesn’t it? Of course it does. Does grace alone save? I think you already know the answer. It requires faith on man’s part. Grace is God’s part, and faith is man’s part. Grace is channeled through faith. My flowers out back like to receive water in the summertime when rain becomes a figment of my imagination. For the flowers to live, they need grace from me. It is completely unmerited favor I show them. The saving water will come through the medium of a hose. I think this is similar to mankind. God gave the scheme of redemption out of His good grace, but if I receive the saving blood of the lamb, it will come through the medium of faith like the water comes through the medium of the hose.
Now, are faith and grace all one needs to go to heaven? Let’s see. James says some faiths don’t save. The devils and demons have this type of faith. This type of faith is one that believes but doesn’t result in obedience. Notice it: “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” (Jas. 2:19-20). To be saved, we need a different type of faith. James refers to it as a “faith made perfect/complete.” I think we have it now. We are saved by grace and a faith made perfect through obedience.
Some will say a person doesn’t have to obey because we aren’t saved by works. This is a misrepresentation of Eph. 2:8. Look at it: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, les many man should boast” (Eph. 2:8-9). The works here mentioned are meritorious works. I think I can explain it through an illustration. Abraham was saved by faith because he obeyed God when he left the land of Ur and journeyed to a land God would show him. I’ll guarantee you he worked. Tiring it must have been to cross the great deserts with everything he had, including a family. Now, was his work meritorious? Did he earn the gift or promise? No. It was by God’s grace, but that grace was received through his obedient faith. Also recall the tower of Babel. These people were building a structure to heaven. They were going there—at least in their minds—without God. This was a meritorious work. This type of work will not save a person, and it did not save them. God didn’t tell them to build a tower to heaven. Thus, their actions were not by faith, nor did they receive God’s grace.
Now watch this carefully. Noah built an ark. Did God tell him to? Certainly. Did Noah have an obedient faith? Of course. It took him nearly 120 years to build that great structure. Did God’s grace save Noah through Noah’s obedient faith? Yes.
God’s blessings flow through his instructions. When we turn and obey those instructions, taking God at His word, He saves. Let’s look now at the complete context of Paul’s statement by adding one more verse. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:8-10). There is our principle in verse 10. We not longer live by our own meritorious ways, but our workmanship is now following the instructions of our Lord.
What did our Lord say just before he ascended? Notice it. “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned” (Mark 16:16). Will we receive God’s grace through faith believing what he said and turn in obedience to it. If so, we’ll be saved. If not, we shall be damned. I suggest taking the advice of Noah and Abraham and be saved by faithful obedience.
